Whether you love them or hate them, superhero movies have become a permanent genre of the film industry. As such, there have been countless films ranging from the superior (The Avengers, The Dark Knight) to the inferior (Fantastic Four, Suicide Squad). One of the most prominent superheroes ever portrayed on film, Batman, has seen his fair share of highs and lows. Following the surprise hit success of Warner Bros.’ The LEGO Movie, we now have a very different Batman movie…

Director and writer, Damien Chazelle continues to shine with his second film, La La Land, a musical about following your dreams, that is easily the best film of the year. La La Land follows the story of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) who both begin to fall for one another as they discuss their passions and dreams. Sebastian wishes to revitalize jazz music and open his own club one day, while Mia wishes to become an actress and…

Denis Villeneuve’s newest film, Arrival, is unlike anything he has ever filmed before and is unlike any other film that has come out this year. The story of Arrival begins when 12 alien ships randomly appear in different spots around the globe causing mass hysteria and panic amongst global leaders. One of the alien ships appears in Montana in which the U.S. government enlists Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) to decipher and communicate with the alien species. However, given…

IT Review: Floating Towards Greatness

Fear. It’s a defining factor of who we are. It separates the brave from the cowards. Do we run away or face it? That is the question a group young kids must face when an evil presence starts terrorizing their town and children continue to go missing. Adapted from Stephen King’s famous novel, IT follows the Loser’s Club, a group of thirteen-year olds, led by Bill who work to uncover the mysterious disappearance of his…

In many ways Wonder Woman is a landmark film. It is the first film incarnation of the amazon princess while also being the first female-directed comic book movie to grace the screen. Given the divisive, troubling films in Warner Bros’ DCEU, moviegoers were hoping director Patty Jenkins could bring hope and optimism to the universe with Wonder Woman, and Jenkins succeeds with grand strides in this aspect. Wonder Woman is a movie filled with optimism and hope but somewhat struggles…

10 Cloverfield Lane is a taut and suspenseful thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. Directed by newcomer, Dan Trachtenberg, the movie tells the story of Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a woman running from the problems of her life as she is kidnapped by Howard (John Goodman) and is kept in his underground bunker for her own safety from an "outside attack". From this point on, the movie begins to flesh out the main characters and provide…

Kubo and the Two Strings is the newest film from critically acclaimed stop-motion studio Laika Entertainment, and it does not disappoint. The film tells the story of a young boy with a vivid imagination named Kubo (Art Parkinson), who must go on a journey to find a magical suit of armor and stop the evil forces in his land. Along the way he is joined by his companions Monkey (Charlize Theron), a no-nonsense ape who must protect Kubo at all…

When Disney first acquired Lucasfilm and announced the beginning of a new Star Wars trilogy, there was much speculation as to the potential of this new era of films. To further fuel the fire, Disney introduced new spinoff films to be released in between the standard episodic entries in the universe. This move had fans worried that Disney would start to wear out their beloved franchise. However, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first spin-off entry, perfectly solidifies itself…

When discussing truly remarkable filmmakers, major standouts come to mind: Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola. What separates these legendary directors from the rest of Hollywood is their ability to tell a story across any genre. Whether it be horror, action, science-fiction, or drama, these directors adapt and change their approach fleshing out their filmography and creating truly memorable films. Another director that continues to do this is Christopher Nolan, especially with his newest war film Dunkirk.…

Baby Driver Review: Driven to Excellence

What makes up the perfect Hollywood action blockbuster these days? Some people would say non-stop action with exciting and gripping set-pieces. Others would say an original story with loveable characters and amazing performances. Most people would say just make it entertaining and make me forget about my problems for 2 hours. While most movies include at least one of these aspects, Baby Driver nails every one of them with incredible grace. Marking Edgar Wright’s…

Spider-Man: Homecoming Review: The Face of Marvel Comes Home

It certainly seems that the third time’s a charm for the Spider-Man franchise. After Sony’s two failed attempts at a successful Spider-Man universe and full trilogy arcs, they finally give back creative control over to Marvel Studios and it’s the best decision they’ve made in years. Spider-Man: Homecoming is the greatest Spider-Man movie since 2004’s Spider-Man 2 and shines with its amazing performances, hilarious coming-of-age story, and new take on the…